To follow up on an invoice, send a polite email 3–5 days after the due date, followed by weekly, increasingly firm, and professional reminders. Use tools like QuickBooks or Stripe to automate these, ensuring you include the original invoice, payment link, amount, and due date in every communication. If needed, escalate with a phone call or, as a last resort, a formal demand letter.
Send an overdue invoice notice via email
Once you've confirmed the invoice details, it's time for a gentle nudge. Craft a polite email (or phone call) reminding your client about the outstanding invoice. Email is the best first step because: It's a respectful, nonconfrontational way to request payment.
How Do You Write a Friendly Payment Reminder?
Practical steps to chase an invoice politely
Hi [client name]. This is a friendly reminder for payment on invoice [invoice number], due today, [due date]. Please submit payment by the close of business today to avoid any late fees. You'll find the original invoice attached to this email.
“Hi there [Name], We hope this email finds you well. We understand that it may be a busy time, but we wanted to remind you of your outstanding payment on invoice # [number] due [date]. We have attached an additional copy of the invoice for easy reference.
To politely remind someone, use a friendly tone with phrases like "Just a gentle reminder" or "Following up on..." in a concise message, acknowledge they might be busy, provide context, and offer help, often by replying in the original thread to make it easy for them to recall. Timing is key, with mid-mornings on weekdays being ideal, and a simple question mark should be avoided as it can seem passive-aggressive.
What is the correct time to issue an invoice? Put simply, you should issue the invoice as soon as the service is completed or the product is delivered. The sooner you issue the invoice, the more likely it will be on the customer's mind, and the quicker they'll pay the amount due.
How to write a follow-up email
How to Ask a Client for Payment Politely
After 30 days, generally, the late payment will appear on your credit report. Late payments generally stay on your credit report for 7 years from the date of the missed payment, though the older a late payment is, the less of an impact it typically has on your credit score.
Gentle Reminder Message for Meeting / Appointment
I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to send a quick reminder about your upcoming appointment scheduled for [Date & Time]. If you have any questions or need to reschedule, please feel free to reach out. Looking forward to seeing you then!
Tips for writing an effective payment reminder email
But first, let's look at how to schedule your follow-ups.
The best time to start chasing an outstanding invoice is actually before it becomes outstanding. A gentle and polite reminder of an upcoming invoice can help to nudge your customer into a timely payment and prevent the invoice from becoming due in the first place.
How to Follow Up Without Annoying People
Although the legal time limits for invoicing are usually forgiving, you should send invoices within 30 days to maintain a steady cash flow. Electronic signatures can help you keep track of your invoices. Requesting digital signatures is fast, so you can do it before forgetting about the invoice.
Getting a Client to Pay an Invoice after Nonpayment
Standard Invoice Definition
In practice, it should include an invoice number, issue date, due date, seller and buyer contact details, tax amounts, discounts (if any), and references that support invoice validation (PO number, contract, or delivery confirmation).
For example, instead of saying "You missed the deadline," say "I wanted to kindly remind you about the upcoming deadline." This subtle wording keeps the conversation positive and open. Including a thank you or expressing appreciation for their time also helps maintain goodwill.
Here are some creative ideas on how to remind him/her of essential tasks or dates: